Elevated runway for vehicles



Jan. 17, 1928.

F. E. L'ITTELL ELEVATED RUNWAY FOR. VEHICLES E ELEH,

Jan. 17, 1928. 1,656,743

- F. E, LITTELL ELEVATED RUNWAY FOR VEHICLES Filed May 8. 1926 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 29 22 28 Z6 I .5. z 4 t El gyn/munter ttor um! Ril Patented Jan. 17, 1928.

UNITED STATES y l 1,556,743 PATENT loi-Fics FRANK LITTELL, OF PEORIA, ILLINOIS. l

ELEVATEB RUNVJAY VEHICLES.

Application filed May S, `192,13. Serial No. 107,553.

rlhils invention relates to runways for ele vating automobiles and pertains particularly to an elevated runway up which automobiles may be driven by which to more readily work beneath them, and such are used at oil stations and garages.

The object of the invention is to improve upon an elevated runway having an inclined approach as customary, by providing a swinging gate portion in that portion of the runway that lies between the 'liront and rear wheels of the vehicle when mounted whereby`the person working about the vehicleinay readily get beneath suoli vehicle without heing required to climb over or beneath such portion. i

Another object is that oi? providing' a part for blocking one or more ot' the wheels ot the vehicle while standing on the runway and during the time the said gate portion is standing open, such blocking part being automatically operated to be placed behind the wheel or removed therefrom when and as the gate portion is opened or closed.

In the appended drawing which shows a preferred term of the apparatus, y

Figure 1 is a plan oi' a device including a runway and showing my invention in one et its forms applied thereto.

Figure 2 is a side elevation oit thesaine.

Figure 3 is a plan oil a portion of the runway showingtwo different forms of operating mechanismh for a gate portion.

Figure e is a plan in detail of parts shown in Figure 3.

Figure 5 is a longitudinal sectional eleva-V tion of parts shown in Figure l on line 5-5 ot' that figure. i

Figure 6 is an end elevation ol parts shown in Figure 3 as viewed in the direction indicated by the arrow in that .igure.

Figure 7 is a side elevation of parts shown in Figures 1 and 3. Y

Figure El is a plan olf a device `for blocle ing` the wheel oli a vehicle when standing on the runway.

Figure 9 is an end elevation of the saine.y

`Figure 1() shows the blocking device ot Figures 8 and 9 in perspective, and

Figure 11 is a longitudinal section ol portions shown in said Figures 8 and 9.

The runway comprises the usual standards 1 suitably braced and having mounted thereon opposite flanged members 2 lying parallel to one another and provided with the usual inclined approach, one of which is indicated partially at Il, while a stop member 2 is 'positioned across the runways for prevent ing the vehicle passing oil' thelforward ends.

A. cap-membe1 such als is indicated Vat 4 mounted on two of the posts or standards 1 between which a passage-way, to be`pro-y vided by invention', lies.k This passageway is "formed by terminatingthe runways 2 at said cap-members leaving a gap yadapted lo be closed by gate portions 7. As in Fig` ures 1 and 2, a sliatto extcndsvertically through an extended portion oi the eapmeinber tat said passage-way, its lower end being pivoted orjournaled in a bracket GV' Said lshaft `at its secured upon the post. upper end is allined tothe said gate portion T", the latter adapted to swing inwardly across the space between the two runways as shown in Figure 1, it being; observed that when the gate is Closed its free end'rests upon the opposite cap-member.

Secured to the shaft is one end oi" an arm 8 and pivoted to the tree extremity ot said la rod 10 slidable in guide members 11 aliixed to the posts 1,`an arm 12 being secured to said rod :tor operating the same.

The relation oi the several parts `described is such that by shifting the rod 10 in Vone direction or the other the gate will be swung to either its closed position forming a'condtinuous runway or to its open position whereby a person working about the vehicle mounted on the runway may have ready pas-` sage beneath, and both gates kmay be usedV for the purpose. y

It is observed that when the gate is in itsy closed position it is automatically locked in place in that the links 9lie so nearly at right angles to the bar 1Q as to have no etlect iu moving the latter in the direction ot its length.

Upon placing the vehicle .in position on the runway oneof the gates, or both oit them, may be opened. blow, in order to prevent movement `of the vehicle backward after being positioned lprovide an automatically operated stop adapted to drop in behind one or both frontwheels. This comprises a plate 13, Figure 1, and also shown in the last four figures of the drawing, `which plate is hingedly mounted on members lsec-ured on the outer side of the cap-memb'er4 and exlui (itl

tending somewhat above the same forming a stop i'orthe gate 7 when closed in line with the runway portions 2. The plate is ot such length as to lie across the capn1e1nher when the gate is open. This position is shown in Figures 8 and 9 and is maintained thus by means of a spring 15 which encircles a pirotholt 1G extending through eyes 17 in the said platel and through said members 111, one end et' the spring resting on the plate and the other bearing against the cap-member for example.

A block 19 isboltedto the plate and is adapted to lie within the runway in the position described and shown inthe figures named. Preferably, the bottom ot' the block where it overlies the run- 'ay bottom has one or more cavities 19 which receive the heads ot' bolts 2O secured in said runway, this structure `being prmf'ided :Ior liriuly holdingtbe block from movement along the runway should any pressure o1" the wheel happen to he brought upon it and which would otherwise transfer strains to the hinge-pin 1G. The plate 13 extends beyond the block in the direction of the opposite runway and curved upwardly so that an angular' extension 21 on the gate 't' in meeting the curved portion will raise the plate and bloclgthe said gate passing beneath said plate carrying it to an upright position as shown by broken lines in Figure 9 and also in Figure 10, the said extension 21 passing beneath the end of the upraised plate 18 permitting the gate t properly align with the runway 3.

It is clear that the action et the plate and its block is entirely automatic since due to the spring the block will be carried into the runway when the gate is opened, and contrarywise, when the gate is closed the runway is free of the obstruction by the operation described.

In the lower part ot Figure 1:3, also Fig ures it, 5 and 6, is shown a modified Aterm ot gate operating means. 1n this instance an extension `2.2 of the cap-member, for eran plc. projects toward the opposite runway, and below it and attached to the post 1 is a bracket 23. A shaft 23 is journaled in both and hasl rigidly secured thereto the gate 7. Secured onthe shalt is a gear 2i with which n'ieshes the teeth. oi a raclcbar 25 supported slidably upon a b acket 26 secured to the said post: in any desired manner and may lilicwise be guided in a notch 27 of said post or in any other way. A lever 28 is pivoted .at 30 on the bracket 2G and the rack-bar 25 has .a pin 29 which passes through a slot 31 of the lever. A sector BQ'having ratchet teeth 33 is secured on the bracket 26 and a spring operated latch 34; is adaptedto engage said sector. A movement of the'levei 2S impart-s' movement to thegate 7 and if desired the latter may be thrown around against the runway as in Figure 3, permitting the gate oi the opposite runway to be opened wider than that in Figure 1 and provi ding a slightly wider passageway.

'lhe sector and spring-held latch serve to positively tix the gate in its closed position, the said ratchet teeth being so directed that, while it is required to li'l't the latch in opening the gate, said latch will pass :freely over the teeth in the closing movement and drop behind a tooth and autmnatically lock Lne gate in alignment with the runway.

I may use either ot the terms described l'or actuating the gates both `terms being shown in Figure 3 and maybe so used.

Although -I have. described and shown means for automatically locling the 'trout wheels ot' the vehicle it is to he understood that I do not confine myself to the specific means shown nor the location thcreot but: to provide any structure tor automatically locking or blocking and preventing moi'emcnt ot the vehicle at the ground wheels.

I claim:

1. In a device ot the character described, in combination with a pair of' runways upon which to elevate a vehicle, a gatcsection forming part ot one ot such runways adapted to he swung ont of the plane ot the latter into the space between said pai r of runways, and a pivoting portion therelor per pendicularly to the vehicle supporting sur tace ot the runway.

2. In a device oit the character described, in combination with a pair oit runways upon which to elevate a vehicle, a mounted gatesection interposed between the spaced portions of one oi such runways adapted to he swung out ot the plane of the latter into the space between said pair el runways, the same including a vertically disposed pivot portion lying between said spaced portion.

3. In a device of the character describinl, in combination with a pair `oi elevated ruuways upon which to position a rehicle, a hingedly mounted gate-sectit'in nru'mally forming part of one ot suclh runways, the same adapted to be swung out o'I the plane ot thc same, and nleans to swing such gatesection.

fl. ln a device ot the character dosorilml, in taanbination. with a pair ol elevated ruuways upon which to position a vehicle, a hingedly mounted gatc-section normally forming part of one of such runways-i, the same adapted to be swung out ot the plane ot the same, andy means to swing the same, said means adapted to automatically lool; the gate-section in its position ot alignment with said runway.

5. A device of the character described comprising a pair of elevated runways upon which to position a vehicle, each runway having a gateway tl'ierethrough, and a gate section pivotally mounted at each runway within the gateway thereof adapted to lll) illll lill) swing in a horizontal plane into the space between the pair of said runways.

6. A device of the character described comprising a pair of elevated runways upon which to position a vehicle, each runway having a gateway therethrough, a gate, sec tion pivotally mounted at each runway within the gateway thereof adapted to swing` in a horizontal plane into the space between the pair oi said runways, and mechanism for separately swinging each section and for locking each in alignment with its respective runway.

7. In a device of the character described, in combination with a pair of runways upon which to position a vehicle, a hingedly mounted gate-section normally` forming part of one oit the runways, the same adapt ed to be swung out ot the plane of the same, and means to swing the gate-section including` a structure for automatically locking such gate-section in its position of align ment vwith the runway portion of which it is normally a part.

8. In a device of the character described, the combination with a runway, of a hinged ly mounted gate-section as part thereof adapted to swing horizontally out of the plane of the same, an arm secured relatively to the gate-section, a shiftable rod, vand linkage pivotally connected to both the arm and rod adapted when the rod is manually shifted to swing the section on its pivot, the several parts being arranged whereby in one position thereof the gate section is locked when in alignment with said runway.

9. In a device of the character described, in combination with a pair of runways upon which to position a vehicle, a gate-section hingedly mounted in one ofysaid runways adapted to swing and having a position be* tween the place of mounting of the front and rear wheels of said vehicle, and means mounted at the runway separate from the gate section adapted to lie in thepath of a wheel of the vehicle when the gate section is swung to open it, said gate section when n in combination with a pair of runways upon which to position a vehicle, a gate-section hingedly mounted in one of said runways adapted to swing from a closed to an open .r

position and when closed having a position between the place of mounting of the front and rear wheel of said vehicle, and a part mounted at one of the runways separate from said gate section, means to automatically move the same into the path of a wheel of said vehicle` when the gate-section is opened, said gate section when in the act of being closed adapted to engage and remove said part from said path.

ll. Ina device of the character described, the combination with va runway having a gate-way therethrough, and a gate-section for closing said gateway, a blocking member pivotally mounted at the side of the runway, means to elastically maintain the same in a position across the runway in the path of the wheel of a mounted vehicle, the said` blocking member adapted to be automatically moved outside the said path of the wheel by engagement of the gate-section therewith as the latter is moved into its normal position in the plane of the runway.

12. In a device of the character described,

the combination of a runway, a gate-section the lever in position in the closed position of said gate section. Y

In testimony whereof I atlix my signature.

FRANK E. LITTELL. 

